Many companies put a lot of effort into choosing the right computer system and printers for their office.
Fewer put quite the same thought into buying paper shredders, even though these are just as important.
Company details have to be protected from would-be criminals at all costs.
That means making sure that a company’s official stationery is kept locked away and accounted for.
Most companies will take this seriously, but may not apply the same watchfulness when it comes to waste paper.
Office bins tend to be places where all manner of objects are dropped – anything from sweet wrappers to drinks cans.
That might have implications on the amount of waste a business produces in a given year, but of much more importance is what happens to the office products that are disposed of.
A company might try to recycle as much of its stationery as possible, purely out of economic necessity. It could cost a lot more, however, if their documents got into the wrong hands.
A rival business could use your company strategy to pose as you when doing business, placing fake orders or applying for credit in your name.
So, it should be a matter of company policy that everyone takes personal responsibility for the stationery they deal with.
If it is being posted, it should go out as part of a co-ordinated mail strategy, so others know where it goes. If it is waste paper, it should be immediately shredded.
When buying shredders for the office, it is a good idea to take out a service contract so that you know they will be quickly fixed in the event that any of them break down. Saving money by buying a shredder just because it is the cheapest is not generally a good idea, as paying for the extra repairs compared to the more reliable brands will make it more expensive in the long run anyway.